International Scholarship Fund

Transform Costa Rica’s brightest scholars into tomorrow’s leaders

Help outstanding professionals with limited resources to become leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Costa Rica. Help these future leaders pursue Master’s degrees in the United States.

Project Description

Costa Rica has set big goals for its future – but it can’t get there without top-notch education for its best students, including those without a way to pay for school.

The Costa Rica U.S.A. Foundation for Cooperation (CRUSA) created its Leadership for Competitiveness Program in 2013 to build human capacity in key areas for the country. Our scholarships has allowed 14 outstanding, low-income students to pursue Master’s degrees in the United States in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Our partners include the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT) and the National Council on Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT).

In 2015, we joined forces with the Costa Rican Fulbright Association. Our CRUSA-Fulbright joint fund seeks to double the number of beneficiaries over the next year.

The program includes:

a careful screening and selection process

full support for students as they prepare for their time abroad

negotiation with U.S. universities to ensure a counterpart scholarship

follow-through with students during their studies

close communication upon their return as we build a network of highly-motivated young leaders. To date, 14 talented students have received Master’s scholarships.

Train students in sustainable fish farming, turning them into small-business owners and conservation leaders in vulnerable areas.

World-Class Education for Costa Rican Youth

Join a movement to implement the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in public schools around Costa Rica through the Association of International Baccalaureate High Schools in Costa Rica (ASOBITICO).

Empower a network for change in Guanacaste

Improve education and health care throughout the province, provide top-notch private-school scholarships to local kids, or support a wide variety of other initiatives with a general donation to the Guanacaste Community Fund.

Help Nosara’s volunteer organizations.

Support charitable, environmental, educational, civic and social activities and projects to benefit the residents of Nosara, Guanacaste, and its surrounding communities.
Please select the Friends of Nosara organization you wish to support and then click below for either a one-time gift or to make a monthly commitment.

Sponsor a young woman for a 12-week technology course to jumpstart her career as an engineer or developer (MenTE en Acción) or teach English through technology (Duolingo).

Conserve and preserve Costa Rica’s oceans, seas and marine resources to support sustainability and biodiversity

With a marine surface that is 10 times bigger than the terrestrial surface, Costa Rica’s oceans are a true blue asset. Costa Rica has a total of 1,290 km of coastline (212 km on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km on the Pacific) and the surrounding oceans shelter at least 6,777 species, representing 3.5% of the known species on the planet. Ensure a “blue” future for Costa Rica by contributing to the development of ocean stewards.

The communities Bahía Ballena and Uvita are small towns located in Costa Ballena on the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica, roughly 3.5 hours away from the capital San José. While the area is gaining popularity among travelers, it still remains relatively undeveloped, maintaining the gorgeous scenery and the laid-back feel of pura vida.

These communities are housed within the county of Osa. The greater Osa area includes the peninsula of Osa and the neighboring Golfito area, a place that contains 3% of the world’s biodiversity, 50% of Costa Rica’s biodiversity and is declared by National Geographic as the “most biologically intense place on Earth.” However, the greater Osa area is also one of the poorest regions of Costa Rica, with social indicators placing the communities in the top decile of poverty in the country with a poverty rate of approximately 37%.

Gift Card

Name

FirstLast

Email*

Gift Card Code*

Click here if you would like to join our list serve to receive information about outstanding Green Economy projects in Costa Rica.